A/N: please give this a chance, i promise she is not a Mary Sue, she doesn't have any kind of demon inside of her, and she is not all-powerful.
Red had been her favorite color. Red was the color of her nails, the color of her lipstick…the color of blood. She turned her hand over, staring at it, staring numbly at the blood on her palms. Then, she looked past her stained fingers to the bodies on the ground. This one was a girl whose face was a mask of red blood—this was her best friend. That one was a boy with a hole where his heart should be—that was her brother. All of these people—ten of them to be exact and only four of whom were recognizable anymore—were part of her old life. She could leave it all behind now. She could be anything she wanted now.
She dropped her ANBU mask to the ground beside an ever-growing pool of blood, kissed her brother on the forehead, and vanished.
A new name. A new life.
Red was still her favorite color.
Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of the Village Hidden in the Sand, was absolutely not happy with his two older siblings.
"Come on," said Temari carefully. "It won't kill you just to oversee the Genin for one day…"
"Isn't there something more pressing that needs my attention? You know how I feel about the new ninja for our village." The redhead hesitated, sea-foam green eyes closing as he sighed. "They're always scared of me."
"In the beginning," said Kankuro, hands in his pockets. "They come around by the time the Chunin Exams come along."
Gaara grunted. "Doesn't mean it's pleasant to meet them when they're still in the Academy."
"Technically you won't be meeting them personally," Temari placated. She had a gentle hold on her brother's arm, an attempt to slowly guide him forward, step by step toward Suna's Academy. "You'd just be overseeing their final exam before they graduate."
"Must I, Temari?"
"Yes." Her voice finally found its firm footing now that she was convinced he wouldn't harm her. He was mildly annoyed, not angry. "You must."
Emi Kitamura swooped her deep black-purple bangs out of her eyes, but they fell right back into place unheeded as she looked up at the Academy. She was fifteen, petite, and despite not being enrolled in the Academy, had a kunai and three shuriken hidden on her person. She sighed on occasion when she watched the ninja of Suna walk past her every day, but it had been her own decision not to pursue trying to be a ninja in the Sand Village.
She bent her head again, continuing to sweep the entrance of the small sweet shop she worked in. She heard the voices of Temari and Kankuro approaching, but kept her head down. Temari visited the shop often, so she knew Emi, but obviously they were speaking about something important. It wouldn't do to interrupt.
"Gaara, really," Temari was saying. "You're being very unreasonable about this."
"Maybe we should lay off, Temari, he's obviously not comfortable—"
"He's the damned Kazekage! It's his duty to—"
Emi flicked her eyes upwards just long enough to get a glimpse at the elusive Kazekage. He was almost always hiding away in his office. Girls all over the village were gushing about him, and Emi had heard Sari and Matsuri gossiping often enough in the shop to gather that he was very mysterious and very attractive.
They certainly hadn't been lying.
Despite his layered clothing, she could tell he was fit and toned. His arms were crossed over his chest and he looked altogether irritable and cold, but despite that his face was handsome enough. His eyes were a strange shade of green, lined with kohl, and he seemed distant. Then suddenly those eyes met hers. She had been caught staring. She tried to avert her gaze, but too late.
Gaara had stopped in his tracks, causing both siblings to double back. He was staring at the girl sweeping the ground, and when his brother and sister reached him, he asked, "Who is she?"
"Her?" Temari frowned. "She works at the sweet shop I always go to, that's it right there." She inhaled suddenly. "Mmm, smells like sweet red bean soup."
"What does it matter who she is?" Kankuro was eyeing his brother strangely.
"I've never seen her before." Gaara didn't stop staring with slight apprehension.
"She came to the village a few weeks ago, complete amnesia, no idea where she came from. The only thing she could remember was her name. Emi Kitamura. Emi-chan!"
Emi snapped her head up, a smile on her lips and a blush on her cheeks. "A-Ah, good morning, Temari-sama, Kankuro-sama." Her gaze rested on Gaara and she dipped into a low bow. "Kazekage-sama."
Gaara merely grunted. Kankuro gave him another strange look as Temari said, "Do I smell fresh red bean soup?"
"Hai," said Emi. "We're having a special on dango today too, if you'd like to stop by."
Temari's mouth began to water, but she shook her head fiercely and sighed. "No, no, we have an appointment. Gaara is going to oversee the final exam at the Academy."
"I see." Emi's smile stayed secure, and she bowed again. "Don't let me keep you then, Kazekage-sama."
"Why didn't you apply to the Academy?"
Gaara's question caused Temari and Kankuro to freeze in surprise. Their anti-social little brother was actually…taking an interest in someone?
Emi didn't answer right away, apparently taken off guard.
"The weapons you have hidden," he gestured at her, "are those of a ninja, yet you are not a ninja. Why didn't you apply? Do you know how to use them?"
"I'm too old to apply to the Academy, and I'm not exactly established in this village yet." She blinked. "I-I still don't know anything about my past, I came here with these weapons, it just feels natural to—"
"Perhaps you used to be a ninja."
"Perhaps…"
"Gaara, really, we're going to be late," said Temari. "Emi-chan, I'll stop by after the appointment for some of that dango—"
"Come with us."
Emi stared at the young Kazekage. "I—"
"Take the graduation exam. I want to see how you do."
"Gaara," Kankuro interrupted, his hand on his brother's shoulder. "If she hasn't had any training, how do you expect her to pass?"
"I just want to see how she does, Kankuro."
"I can't really leave work…"
Gaara's eyes narrowed, and his two siblings exchanged a glance. They both knew that Gaara was determined, and this poor girl, whether she wanted to or not, was going to take the graduation exam. That is, until she smiled and said, "I honorably decline, Kazekage-sama. I couldn't possibly take the exam."
Gaara watched her, still with narrowed gaze. Her hair was short and wavy, half tied in a small ponytail, a dark purple that looked almost black in the right light, and with long bangs that shielded much of her face. She was short and pale, with a thin body, but he found her to be…oddly curvy. Dressed in pastel colors that clashed with her hair, she wore a very modest short-sleeve dress. Her eyes were a pretty light amber color, and in spite of the smile on her face, her eyes held a look only he could recognize. They were his eyes—Sasuke's eyes—Kimimaro's eyes. The eyes of someone who had known insurmountable loneliness and pain.
Gaara's interest and temper rose, the latter much higher than the former, but he walked away towards his duties. It was his goal now to protect people. So no matter how irked he became by her cheerful declining, he had to keep his composure and remember that he was the Fifth Kazekage.
That didn't change the fact, however, that he firmly believed she was hiding something.
A/N: see? nothing horrible. review!